Coastal Systems - Halosere Succession

A halosere is a succession in a saline environment. An example of a halosere is a salt marsh.

Rates of succession

The rate at which ecosystems develop to a climatic climax from initial colonisation may be relatively rapid (measured in centuries) or take longer (over thousands of years) depending on growth rates and abundance of colonising species. But many environments are interrupted before attaining climax stability as conditions change. It may be a change in climate, sea level, or another key environmental factor.

Primary succession (prisere): uninterrupted development from first colonisation to climax vegetation.

Secondary succession: a succession that takes over once natural conditions have changed and replaces a primary succession sequence.

Plagioclimax: where human intervention has interrupted the natural succession that would have taken and delivered an alternative climax of vegetation by, for example, allowing sheep to graze a saltmarsh.